Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-08-02
A HISTORIC SWORD.
WELDED BY CAPT. REID At A
HEROIC SEA FIGHT.

The "Thermopyle Of the Ocean"-Seven
Guns and Ninety Men Against 136
Guns and 1000 Men-The Fight and
Its Results.
There has lain upon the desk of the presi-
dent for some time plain, steel scabbarded
sword, old fashioned in style and and service
able rather than elegant, slightly curved,
somewhat battered and generally weapon
that looks as though it had seen service. And
It has; and service, too, in one of the most he
roic actions described in the pages of Ameri-
can history.
/ A day or two ago the president sent this
sword to congress, and it will probably be
come the duty of the National museum, in
which SO many other valuable relics are de-
posted, to give it place in which it may be
seen in company with a sketch of the hero
and the heroic contest that make it sacred
The presentation to congress, through the
president, by Col. Samuel c. Reid Of this bat
tie saber of his father, the late Capt Samuel
Chester Reid, who commanded the United
States private armed brig of war Gen. Arm
strong at the battle of Fayal, in September,
1914, is excuse enough for reviving some In
cidents which have passed out Of mind.
UNEQUAL FORCES ENGAGED.
The Armstrong was a little brig of but 240
tons, carrying but seven guns and ninety
men. She was attacked in the neutral waters
Of the Azore islands by British squadron,
consisting of the ship Of the line Plantagenet
the frigate Rota and the sloop of war Carna-
ton, with total amount of 136 guns and
1000 men. The British lost over 800 Of their
picked men and officers in killed and wounded,
while the Armstrong lost but two killed and
seven wounded. The action has well been
called the "Thermopyla Of the Ocean" for no
naval battle in ancient or modern history is
comparable with that Of the Armstrong at
Fayal, either as to the unequal forces engaged,
the unyielding and infexible bravery of her
officers and crew, nor as to the grand results
which followed in the defeat of the British
expedition against Louisiana.
The height of heroism and romantic chiv
airy were displayed by Capt. Reid and his
crew in the last act Of this extraordinary
naval drama After scuttling his vessel to
save her from capture he went ashore with
his men and arms, when the commander OF
the squadron, Admiral Lloyd, demanded their
surrender and threatened to send 500 men to
take them Reid retired with his men to an
old gothic convent, which he fortified, knocked
away the drawbridge, ran up the American
flag and babe the enemy defiance. Lloyd
quailed under this last exhibition Of heroic
courage, saying they were demons and not
men.
The squadron under Lloyd was on its way
to the island of Jamaica to join the great
feet assembled there under Admiral Lord
Cochrane, afterward Earl of Dundonald, who
was confidentially intrusted with the secret
expedition for the conquest of Louisiana.
The last hope of England to wrest the control
of the Mississippi river and the province of
Louisiana from France had been fooled by
Napoleon, who, seeing that he had no means
Of protecting it from the conquest Of Eng
land, ceded it to the United States in 1908.
THE FORTUNATE RESULTS.
On the declaration of war by the United
States, in 1872, Englands eyes were once
more turned to the coveted possession, and,
after making demonstration against
Washington and Baltimore, she assembled
her combined fleets, no longer needed for the
blockades of the French coasts, at Negril bay,
Jamaica, to carry out this great design. The
crippled condition of Lloyd's squadron had
created delay of over ten days in repairing
damages, as they were occupied three days
alone in burying their dead. On the arrival
of Lloyd at Jamaica a further delay Of week
took place, Admiral Lord Cochrane being
furious at Lloyd's disaster, which finally
proved fatal to the expedition. The fleet did
not arrive off Lake Bosque until four days
after the arrival of Gen. Jackson with his
forces, which barely gave him time to make
a defense, SO that, had the fleet arrived ten
DAYS sooner, when New Orleans and the
coast was utterly defenseless, an easy con-
quest would have been made. and once in
possession it is doubtful if the treaty of peace
would have been ratified by England. Thus
it is clearly demonstrated that if Capt Reid
had surrendered his vessel against such an
overwhelming force, which he might have
done without the imputation of cowardice,
Louisiana might to-day be under the flag of
St George.
To Capt. Reid is not only due the credit of
this victory, but its general results in saving
domain now more than three times larger
than the territory of France, and it is worthy
to be remembered that this gallant sailor be-
came afterward the designer of the present
form of the United States flag, as adopted by
congress in 1918. His name and fame deserve
to be commemorated, and congress should
show the gratitude of the people by making
an appropriation for substantial and en-
during testimonial to his bravery and useful
neSs-Cor. New York Times.